Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (1).pdf/4

 ter, and she fell deep in love with Tom, and Tom fell as deep in love with the money, but not with the maid, the old woman bestowed a vast of presents on Tom, and mounted him like a gentleman but still he put off the marriage from time to time and always wanted something, which the old woman gave money to purchase for him, until he had got about thirty pounds of her money, and then she Would delay the marriage no longer; Tom went and took the old woman and girl aside, and made his apology as follows : Dear mother, said he; I was very willing to wed my dear Polly, for she appeared as an angel in mine eyes, but I am sorry, very sorry to acquaint you, that I am not a fit match for her. What, child, says the old woman, there’s not a fit match in the world for my Polly. I did not think your country could afford such a clever youth as what I hear of you to be, you shall neither want gold nor silver, nor a good horse to ride upon, and when I die you shall have my all: O but says Tom, mother that’s not the matter at all, the stop is that when I was at home in Scotland, I got a with a horse’s foot on the bottom of the bell which has quite disabled me below, that I cannot perform a husband’s duty in bed. Then the woman clapt her hands, and fell a crying, O ! if it had been any impediment but that, but that, that wofu' that! which gold nor silver cannot purchase, and yet the poorest people, that is, even common beggars have plenty of it. The old woman man and her daughter sat crying, and wringing their hands, and Tom stood and wept lest he should get no more money. O says Polly, mother, I’ll wed with him nevertheless, I love him so dearly! No, no, you foolish girl, would you throw yourself away, to marry a man and die a maid.